Concrete product machine



4 Sheets-Sheet l on 2 9 v, w ooaQ 00 o u a o o a so ER m ow m A d M W a mQ w! sk m m T a W March 2, 1954 T. M. WIGLEY CONCRETE PRODUCT MACHINE Filed Aug. 15, 1951 March 2, 1954 T. M. WlGLEY 2,670Q51g5.

" CONCRETE PRODUCT MACHINE Filed Aug. 15, @951 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 III! Tom M. Wig/e INVENTOR.

March 1954 T. M. WIGL EY CONCRETE PRODUCT MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Aug. 15, 1951 Tom M. Wig/ey INVENTOR mm: L. mu v! ow 9a m& NS mm mm 09 mm o v& a! vm m! m 3 9o w9 =& N! 2 Q n v my 3 R 9v mu Q mm Q \N 9 &\ l vm R vv mm a m E on mm T. M. WIGLEY 2,670,515

CONCRETE PRODUCT MACHINE March 2, 1954 Filed Aug. 15, 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Fig. 3a

Tom M. Wig/ey INVENTOR.

BY 4 W Patented Mar. 2, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,670,515 CONCRETE PRODIiCT MACHINE Torn M. Wigley, Lubbock, Tex. Application August 15, 1951, Serial No. 242,018

- forming machine composed of a pair of endless,

horizontally rotating side forming members that will determine the width of a concrete slab formed therebetween and which members will move the slab from one end of a frame to the other end thereof while forming the sides of the slab.

' A further object of the present invention is to provide a machine for manufacturing prefabricated building material, ornamental. veneering stone, brick and tile, including upper and lower relatively adjustable vibrating members between which a moldable material is moved by power driven side forms, whereby a slab may be formed of a predetermined thickness.

.A still further aim of the present invention is to provide a concrete products machine that is simple and practical in construction, strong and reliable in use, efiicient and durable in operation, inexpensive to manufacture, install and service, and otherwise well adapted for the purposes for which the'same is intended. r

Other objects and advantages reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, references being had to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which: 7

Figure 1 is a plan View of the present invention and with parts broken away for the convenience of explanation;

,Figure 2 is a side elevational view of Figure 1; Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal vertical section view taken substantially on the plane of section line 33 of Figure 1 to show one end of the machine; 7 Figure 3a is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal vertical sectional view taken substantially on the plane of section line 300 -31; of Figure 1 to complete the half shown in Figure 3;

Figure 4 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional 2 view taken substantially on the plane of section line 66 of Figure 1;

Figure 7 is a perspective view of the frame member and the rollers and vibrator carried thereby and removed from the rest of the machine; and,

V Figure 8 is a perspective view of a slab formed by the present machine. Referring now to the drawings in detail, wherein for the purpose of illustration, there is disclosed a preferred embodiment of the present invention the numeral l0 represents a supporting frame composed of angle iron members that are suitably secured and braced together. The frame It is elongated and legs 12 support the frame in a substantially horizontal position.

The longitudinal angle iron side members 14 of the frame H3 are provided with longitudinally spaced apertures in their vertical flanges that rotatably support the reduced ends of rollers It. The rollers are spaced parallel to each other and extend transversely and horizontal between the members I4. I Forward and rear short posts 18 and 20 rise from the frame above the rollers. The forward posts. I 3 are joined by a cross bar 22 and the rear posts are joined by a cross bar 24. Both bars 22 and 24 extend transversely of the frame 7 andare spaced above the rollers I6.

'A rectangular, open, support 26 of angle iron construction is" supported on the posts l8 and 20 for vertical adjustment while remaining horiz'ontal. The ends of the support 26 are bolted to the cross bars 22 and 24 and the cross bars are secured to vertical slides 28 carried by the posts and having portions 30 extending through vertical slots 32 in the posts.

Vertical, screw threaded rods 34 are rotatably supported by the posts and receivably engage internally threaded vertical bores 36 in the slides 28. Hand wheels 38, secured to the upper ends of the rods 34, constitute a means whereby the rods may be manually rotated to selectively raise and lower the slides.

The supporting shafts 40 and 42 of hollow forward andreardrums 44 and 46 are rotatably supported in'bearings 48 mounted on the ends of the support 26. An endless belt or rubber web 50 is trained about the drums 44 and 4B. The drum 44 is formed with a plurality of circumferentiallyspaced longitudinal ribs 52 and a pluralityof longitudinally spaced circumferential ribs 54, that will form recesses R and RI respectively, in a block or slab S formed by the present machine. V

An open substantially rectangular angle iron frame member 56 is supported from the support 26 and include side portions 58 that are formed with longitudinally spaced apertures rotatably receiving the reduced ends of upper spaced parallel horizontal rollers 00.

Ears 62 rising from the forward end of frame member 56 are pivoted to ears 64 depending from the support 26, to permit vertical swinging movement of the frame member. The rear end of the frame member 56 carries a pair of upstanding short rods 06 that are slidably received by ears 68 extending horizontally from the support 26. Springs It surround the rods 65 and are biased between the ears t8 and the frame member 56 to urge the latter toward the lower rollers I6.

Suitable means may be employed for preventing the rods 66 from disengaging the ears 68, such as nuts threaded on the rods 56, although the lower flight of belt 50 extends under the rollers 60 to perform this result.

Means is provided for vibrating the frame member 55 and this means comprises a pair of bearings "2i, rising from the rear end of the member 55, that rotatably support a transverse shaft I2 carrying eccentrically mounted weights I4. Cross channels I5 fixed to the central part of frame member 56 carry an electric motor I8 whose drive shaft supports a pulley 80 that is connected to a pulley 82 on shaft I2 by an end less pulley belt 84.

A vibrator unit similar to that described above is supported indirectly by the frame It and consists of bearings 86 depending from the frame III that rotatably support a lower transverse shaft 88 carrying eccentrically mounted weights as. An electric motor 92 supported beneath the frame It by cross channels supports a pulley 90 on its drive shaft that is connected to a pulley 38 on shaft 88 by a pulley belt I90.

It should be here noted, that an intermediate portion of the frame I0, below the support 26, accommodates a lower, open, rectangular angle iron frame member I02 whose forward end is pivoted to the sides of the frame I!) and whose rear end carries depending short rods I54 that are slidably received by brackets ItB depending from the frame I0. Spring I08 surround the rods I04 and are biased between the brackets I05 and the frame member I02 to urge the latter raised. It is the frame member I02 to which the bearings 88 and channels 94 are secured in order to permit vibration of the frame member I02 and the transverse rollers Ita carried thereby.

The outwardly projecting slotted ends ofja rear support He fixed to the frame I0 slidably adjustably support horizontal gear wheels .I I2 and this is likewise true of forward support II4 and intermediate support I I6 that are carried b the frame It and which support horizontal'g'ear Wheels H8 and I25, respectively.

Endless side forms or conveyor members I22 and I24 extend about the gear wheels and longitudinally of and alongside the frame I0 but above the rollers I8, 56c. These members I22 and I24 are each composed of a plurality of links or flat plates I26. The adjacent plates are suitably secured, as at I21, to or connected to an endless sprocket chain 528 that will engage the gear wheels.

Horizontal guide channels I30 project laterally from the frame It and are formed with dovetailed ribs I32 on their upper faces that slidably enter dovetail grooves I34 in the lower ends of blocks I36. Upper and lower roller or bearing units I38 and I40 are supported behind the innor fiights of the member I22 and I24, and are mounted on the blocks I36. Set screws I42 adjustably carried by the blocks I36 are manually adjustable to engage the ribs I32 to adjust the blocks on the ribs and the bearing units against the inner flights of the members I22 and I24.

Means is provided for rotating the conveyor members I22 and I24, the drum 54 and the gears H8. This means comprises a gear box I44 supporting on its upper wall a motor I45 and a shaft M8, the latter being carried in bearings I50. One end of the shaft I43 supports a pulley I52 that is connected to a pulley I54 on the drive shaft of the motor by a pulley belt I56.

The other end of shaft I48 is operatively connected to a shaft IE3 through reduction gearing (not shown) in the housin I44. One end of shaft I58 supports a sprocket I60 that is connected to a sprocket I82 on shaft 40 by a sprocket chain I64.

Another shaft I38 projects from the housing Ma and is operatively connected to shaft I48. The shaft I69 supports a sprocket I68 that is operatively connected to a sprocket H0 on a shaft I12 by a sprocket chain I74. The ends of shaft Il2 enter the intermediate casing portions I'Ifi of columns Iii that rotatably support the vertical shafts for gears IIS and the gear supporting shafts in columns I13 are connected to the ends of shaft IE2 by beveled gears or the like.

In practical use of the present invention, a moldaole material in viscous form, is dropped onto a platter on the rollers I5 at the rear of frame II! from a suitable hopper I80.

The horizontally adjustable side forms I22 and 424 are adjusted to the proper Width of the desired finished product and the upper conveyor 50 is adjusted vertically by hand wheels 38 to produce the desired thickness of finished product.

The side forms I22 and I24 and the upper form 513 are set in motion at the desired speed to produce the required rate of horizontal travel through the machine and serve the dual purpose of providing the necessary force tov move and shape the top and two sides of the mixture M. These forms provide the power through contact with the mixture on these three faces, the bottom side being free to move with the pallet over the rollers I6, I602. I

As the mixture moves through the vibrating sections 58, I62, the vibration causes the mixture to set and become firm, enough to handle afte'r leaving the machine. I

Although the machine is designed with the idea that the side and upper conveyors will move and form the mixture, in some instances to increase production, small individual forms can be placed side by side, filled with concrete and moved through the machine. Under these condit'ions the side conveyors would serve as conveyors only while the upper conveyor would still serve as a form for the top surface of the mixture. 3 In view of the foregoing description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, it is believed that a clear understanding of the devicewill be quite apparent to those skilled in this art. A more detailed description is accordingly deemed unnecessary.

It is to be understood, however, that even though there is herein shown and described a preferred embodiment of the invention, the same is susceptible" to certain changes'fully comprehended by the spirit of the invention as herein describedand the scope of the appended claims.

Having described the invention, what is claimed asnew is: ,1. A machine for manufacturing prefabricated building material, said machine comprising an elongated frame, horizontal side by side rollers mounted transversely of the frame, a vertically adjustable horizontal supportmounted on the frameabove the rollers, additional horizontal rollers extending transversely of the frame and supported on the support in parallel relation to the first-named rollers and overlying the firs named rollers, a power driven endless belt mounted on said support and including a lower flight extending under the said additional rollers and spaced above the first-named rollers, and combined conveyor and slab forming means supported along the sides of the frame and extending upwardly from the first-named rollers for engaging articles supported by the first-named rollers to move the articles from one end of the frame to the other, the first-named rollers extending substantially throughout the length of said lower flight, and a frame member supporting the additional rollers, means pivotally securing one end of said frame member to the support, means slidably securing the other end of the frame member to the support, and spring means urging said other end of said frame member toward the first named rollers.

2. A machine for shaping concrete products comprising an elongated frame, a lower series of spaced parallel horizontal rollers supported on the frame and extending transversely of the frame, a support adjustably secured to the frame directly above the rollers and manually adjustable toward and away from the rollers, an elongated frame member vertically swingably supported by the support over the rollers, an upper series of spaced parallel horizontal rollerssupported transversely across the frame member and overlying the lower series of rollers and spaced vertically therefrom, a pair of drums supported for rotation on the ends of the support member and extending transversely of the frame member, an endless belt trained about the drums and including a lower flight extending under the upper series of rollers and spaced above the lower series of rollers, endless, power driven, horizontal form members supported at the sides of the frame between the upper and lower series of rollers, and means yieldingly urging the frame member downwardly relative to the support and against the lower flight.

3. The combination of claim 2 wherein one of said drums includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced longitudinal ribs and a plurality of longitudinally spaced circumferential ribs adapted to form depressions in a slab of concrete engaging the portion of the lower flight of the belt beneath the ribbed drum.

4. The combination of claim 2 wherein said form members include inner flights paralleling the longitudinal axis of the frame, said form members each being composed of a plurality of links pivotally connected together.

5. The combination of claim 2 and a power driven shaft supported on and disposed transversely of said frame member, and eccentric weights on said shaft to vibrate the frame member during rotation of the shaft.

6. A machine for shaping concrete products comprising an elongated frame, a lower series of spaced parallel horizontal rollers supported on 'a pair of drums supported for rotation on the ends of the frame member and extending transversely of the frame member, an endless-belt trained about the drums and including a lower flight extending under the upper series of rollers and spaced above the lower series of rollers; endless, power driven, horizontal form members supported at the sides of the frame between the upper and lower series of rollers, and means yieldingly urging the frame member downwardly relative to the support and against the lower flight, said frame member being pivotally secured at one end to the support for vertical swinging movement, said last-named means including means slidably securing the other end of the frame member to the support, and spring means urging the said other end of the frame member toward the lower series of rollers and against said lower flight.

7. The combination of claim 2 and means slidably and adjustably mounted on said frame and engaging the horizontal form members, said form members including straight portions engaged by said slidablyand adjustably mounted means and retained parallel to each other.

8. A machine for shaping concrete products comprising an elongated frame, a plurality of spaced parallel horizontal rollers mounted on and extending transversely of the frame, posts extending upwardly from the frame, a rectangular open support overlying the rollers, means slidably adjustably securing the corners of the support to the posts for vertical adjustment of the support selectively toward and away from the rollers, an elongated frame member vertically swingably attached at one end to the support, means slidably securing the other end of the frame member to the support, spring means yieldingly urging the frame member downwardly toward the rollers, an upper series of spaced parallel horizontal rollers on the frame member overlying the first-named rollers and extending transversely of the frame above the first-named rollers, a pair of drums rotatably supported on the support and paralleling the upper rollers, said upper rollers occupying substantially all of the space between the drums, an endless web trained about the drums and having a lower flight engaged by and underlying the upper rollers, and a pair of endless, power driven, horizontal form members supported at the sides of the frame between the first-named rollers and the upper rollers.

9. A machine for shaping concrete products comprising an elongated frame, a plurality of spaced parallel horizontal rollers mounted on and extending transversely of the frame, posts extending upwardly from the frame, a rectangular open support overlying the rollers, means slidably adjustably securing the corners of the support to the posts for vertical adjustment ofthe support selectively toward and away from the rollers, an elongated frame member vertically swingably attached at one end to the support, means slidably securing the other end of the frame member to the support, spring means yieldward the rollers, an upper series of spaced parallel horizontal rollers on the frame member overlying the first-named rollers and extending trainsversely-of the frame above the first-named rollers, a pair of drums rotatably supported on the support and paralleling theupper rollers, said upper rollers occupying substantially all of the space the drums and having a lower flight engaged by and underlying the upper rollers, and a pair of endless, power driven, horizontal form members supported at the sides of the frame between the first-named rollers and the upper rollers, and a power driven vibrator supported on said frame member at the end thereof slidably secured to the support.

TOM M. WIGLEY.

between the drums, an endless web trained about References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Smith NOV. 20, 1894 Hall Aug. 26, 1-902 Anderson et a1 Aug. 25,1903 Carey May 1, 1923 Zimmer Aug. 21, 1923 Ruby 1 June 7, 19 32 Smolak et a1 Jan. 30., 1934 Frost 1 Apr. 11, 1939 Roberts Oct. 24, 1939 Blair et al. May 11, 1948 

